10th expert working group and 2 public symposiums on Bamiyan Valley

The 10th expert working group meeting for the preservation of the Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley World Heritage property, will be held in Tokyo from 6 to 8 December 2011, followed by two public symposiums concerning Bamiyan on 9 and 11 December, in Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan.

The UNESCO World Heritage Centre is organizing the forthcoming 10th expert working group meeting for the preservation of the safeguarding of the Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley World Heritage property (Afghanistan), which will be held in Tokyo, Japan from 6 to 8 December 2011, in collaboration with the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo, and the Afghanistan authorities. Two public symposiums regarding Bamiyan will follow on 9 and 11 December, in Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan.

Remembering the 10th anniversary of the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddha statues, the meeting will be an excellent opportunity to review the ongoing conservation work in Bamyian and determine the future needs for the preservation of the site.

The meeting will gather a panel of officials from the Afghan Government, led by his Excellency Minister of Culture and Information, international experts and implementing partners, whose productive efforts have been paramount in regard to safeguarding activities in the Bamiyan Valley. Despite the remarkable results achieved, a lot of work still lies ahead, hence the utmost importance of organizing this meeting.

Since its implementation in 2003 with the funding from the UNESCO-Japan Funds in Trust for preservation of the World Cultural Heritage, the Bamiyan safeguarding project has produced fruitful outcomes thanks to the close cooperation between the Afghan Ministry of Culture and Information, the Ministry of Urban Development, the Provincial authorities of Bamiyan, and several specialized international institutions, particularly with the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo, and ICOMOS Germany.

The aim of the meeting is to advise UNESCO and the Afghanistan authorities on issues related to the conservation of the Bamiyan World Heritage property by reviewing and assessing ongoing activities in Bamiyan, as well as identifying needs and opportunities for future initiatives. The meeting will also provide an opportunity for the coordination of international efforts. In addition, this meeting will launch Phase IV of the above-mentioned project to safeguard the Cultural Landscape and Archaeological remains of the Bamiyan valley.

The following public symposiums in Tokyo and in Kyoto will provide an opportunity to raise awareness and to promote the importance of this safeguarding programme.

Contacts:

Dr. Roland Lin, WHC/APA, UNESCO

Mr. Kazuya Yamauchi, National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo